Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

Adam Zagajewski's poem "To Go to Lvov" is a profound meditation on memory, loss, and the enduring presence of a city that exists both in reality and in the realm of the imagination. Lvov, known today as Lviv in Ukraine, holds a complex history, having been part of Poland until 1939 before undergoing various political changes. Zagajewski was born in Lvov in 1945, but his family was expelled shortly thereafter, making the city a poignant symbol of displacement and longing in his work.

The poem opens with an evocative invitation:

> "To go to Lvov. Which station for Lvov, if not in a dream, at dawn, when dew gleams on a suitcase, when express trains and bullet trains are being born."

This beginning sets a dreamlike tone, suggesting that the journey to Lvov transcends physical travel and enters the realm of dreams and memories. The imagery of dawn and gleaming dew evokes a sense of freshness and possibility, while the mention of "express trains and bullet trains being born" hints at the passage of time and the evolution of travel, contrasting the past with the present.

Throughout the poem, Zagajewski weaves together vivid descriptions of Lvov's landscapes, architecture, and inhabitants:

> "But the cathedral rises, you remember, so straight, as straight as Sunday and white napkins and a bucket full of raspberries standing on the floor."

Here, the cathedral stands as a central symbol, representing the city's spiritual and cultural heritage. The comparison to "Sunday and white napkins" conveys a sense of purity and ritual, while the "bucket full of raspberries" introduces a homely, intimate detail, blending the sacred with the everyday.

The poem is rich with sensory details that bring Lvov to life:

 "There was always too much of Lvov, no one could comprehend its boroughs, hear the murmur of each stone scorched by the sun."

Zagajewski portrays Lvov as an overwhelming abundance, a city teeming with life and history. The "murmur of each stone" suggests that every element of the city holds a story, a memory, contributing to its intricate tapestry.

As the poem progresses, a sense of loss and fragmentation emerges:

 "and there was too much of Lvov, it brimmed the container, it burst glasses, overflowed each pond, lake, smoked through every chimney, turned into fire, storm, laughed with lightning, grew meek, returned home, read the New Testament, slept on a sofa beside the Carpathian rug, there was too much of Lvov, and now there isn’t any."

The repetition of "there was too much of Lvov" emphasizes the city's once-vibrant existence, which has now been diminished or lost. The transformation from an overflowing presence to an absence reflects the impact of historical events, such as displacement and political upheaval, on the city's identity and on the personal memories of those who once lived there.

In the concluding lines, Zagajewski reflects on the universal nature of loss and the persistence of memory:

 "and now in a hurry just pack, always, each day, and go breathless, go to Lvov, after all it exists, quiet and pure as a peach. It is everywhere."

Despite the physical loss of Lvov, the city endures in the poet's consciousness and imagination. The comparison to a "peach" suggests a delicate, tangible beauty, while the assertion that "it is everywhere" implies that Lvov, as a symbol of memory and longing, transcends its geographical boundaries and lives on within the hearts and minds of those who remember it.

"To Go to Lvov" serves as both an elegy and an ode, mourning the loss of a beloved place while celebrating its enduring presence in memory. Through his intricate and evocative imagery, Zagajewski captures the complex emotions associated with displacement, the passage of time, and the resilience of the human spirit in preserving the essence of home, even when that home no longer exists in its original form.

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